Reflections
by The billion dollar bitch
Summary: Vince takes a look back...... By popular demand a chapter from Linda's POV, Please R+R
1. Prologue

First off I own nobody in this story, the WWF does, please don't sue me!  
  
Ok, now we've got that out the way, lets get down to business.  
  
I decided to write this because I am a huge McMahon fan, I am a fan of all of the McMahon's and I think they are incredible, their sacrifices and what they've done for the business is amazing.  
  
The media seem to think Vince McMahon is some sort of monster but I want you to know that I don't believe them. 99% of what they write is pure BS anyway. I like to that think the real Vince is something like I have made him out to be in this story.  
  
Please just think........ Vince isn't a monster, he's a person, just like you and me. He has feelings too, he's not a robot. I am in no way asking you to agree with what I've written but just to realise that behind the "Evil Mr. McMahon" character that's portrayed on WWF television there is a REAL person with REAL thoughts and feelings........ 


	2. Vince's perspective

I knew she was the one the moment I set eyes on her. The long auburn hair, those massive bright blue eyes, that beautiful smile.  
  
I remember the day as if it were yesterday, as if I could forget, thats the only thing I have ever been grateful to my mother for, introducing me to Linda. My mother was always trying to fix me up with someone, whether it was the girl next door or some brainless bimbo from the local pub.  
  
Mom took me to church, she said, there's this beautiful blue eyed girl, she's sweet and pretty and you're really going to like her. She sings in the choir, she's got the voice of an angel. Great I thought to myself, ANOTHER good looking girl with brains the size of a pea, just what I need!  
  
Oh how wrong I was. Linda had it all, good looks, intelligence, a personality. She was so different from the clueless girls my mother had introduced me to before. Everything about her just captured my imagination, the beautiful smile, the big blue eyes, the laugh, the way she talked. She was just so vibrant, she just glowed and stood out from the crowd. I loved her from the moment I set eyes on her and I knew I had to make her mine.  
  
I remember being introduced to her, oh how I wish I'd made more of an effort. I had an old brown tweed suit, which looked liked something from the dark ages, how I wish I had worn the navy blue suit my father had sent me just a few weeks earlier! My shoes, I hadn't even bothered to clean them because I thought she was going to be a lost cause. Hell, I hadn't even washed my hair!  
  
Linda didn't care though, she talked to me for ages after the service had finished. We wandered around the local park just talking about everything and nothing, it was so easy with her, I didn't have to make an effort like I did with everyone else. She was thirteen when we met, an innocent little girl, who could get anyone to do whatever she wanted. Everyone loved her, she had no hidden agenda, no plan, she was geniunely nice to everyone she met and gave them a chance. I never thought she'd fall for me, I was sixteen for gods sake! Now three years doesn't seem like such a big age gap, but at that time it was huge. People didn't approve of our relationship at first, even though it was just friendship to start off with. Of course, they never said anything, but when you live in a small town like Linda did, people start talking and everyone knows everybody elses business. You can tell from the looks they give how they feel.  
  
I remember when it changed, when I told Linda of my true feelings for her, it was six months after our first meeting. By this time Linda knew everything about me, the abuse I suffered as a child both from a series of stepfathers and my own mother. She was the first person I'd ever told, and to this day she's the only person who knows the full extent of the abuse. She was the one who helped me break free of my mom and those assholes of stepfathers, for the first time I my life I actually felt loved, to know that Linda cared gave me courage and belief in myself that I could do whatever I wanted. Linda encouraged me to have more contact with my dad, to go and live with him. Thanks to her, I learnt how to love, how to trust, and that feeling was unbelivable...  
  
Anyway, we'd just had the most amazing day together. I had picked her up in the morning, we played tennis until lunch, we went back to her house for lunch and in the afternoon we went to the local park we walked round and messed about, running after each other and tackling each other to the ground, people looking at us like we were crazy! And then at night we stayed at her house at watched movies until late. Linda's parents were out of town for the weekend, so we had the place all to ourselves. We switched off the last of the movies and sat and talked for a while. We were sitting on the couch, well I was sitting, Linda was laying with her legs across my lap. I couldn't take it any more and it just came out, Linda was talking about the movie and all of a sudden I heard myself declaring my love for her.  
  
"What?" She asked sitting bolt upright and walking to the other side of the room.  
  
"I said I love you." I repeated.  
  
"Oh my god!" Was all Linda could say.  
  
"I know its unexpected and probably the wrong time and place but I had to tell you, I had to let you know." I was babbling now but I had to do something to cover the intense silence, that filled the room every time I stopped talking. "I love you and I've loved you ever since that first time we met at the church, I took one look at you and knew you were the one. You're the only one who understands me, who knows what I've been through, you helped me deal with that, you helped me break free of my demons. If it weren't for you I'd still be living with mom and my fourth step-father, living a life of misery. You the one who encouraged me to get to know my dad, to go and live with him. You're the reason why I'm finally happy. I love you Linda, I'm sorry but I do." I looked over at her and she was staring intently at me.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
"I didn't see the point. I don't expect you to feel the same way, you're so much younger, you've got a lot to learn. Everyone would dissapprove of us......"  
  
Linda cut me off mid-sentance. "Who cares what everyone else thinks of us, we'd only be confirming their suspicians."  
  
"Wh....Wha.......What?" I finally managed to get out. "But what about your family, your parents, I get the impression they're not too keen on me."  
  
"You're wrong, they love you. They're always teasing me about you. I just, I didn't expect you to feel the same way about me." Linda said shyly. "Its just the town gossips who don't approve."  
  
"What do you mean, you didn't expect me to feel the same way about you?" I asked confused.  
  
"I mean.... I love you too. I don't know when I started to realise it but I do. And you're right, I do have a lot to learn, I am a lot younger than you but I figured, you're not exactly all grown up yet yourself, so what we don't know, we can learn together?"  
  
I sat there looking at her in stunned silence.  
  
"Vince?"  
  
"Yeah?" I choked out.  
  
"What'd you say we give it a go?" Linda asked smiling.  
  
"I say you're right, stuff everyone else. We love each other that's all that matters." I smiled back at her. I couldn't believe my luck, Linda felt the same way.  
  
That night we fell asleep on the couch together, with Linda in my arms.  
  
We were so young, so innocent then. Well..., Linda was innocent I was the naughty boy who was sent to Military School for bad behaviour. Linda didn't care what I did though, she stood by me through it all. About a year after we first started dating, I asked her to marry me. I saved all my allowance that my father gave me, I did odd jobs everywhere I could to get Linda the perfect engagement ring. It worked I got her a diamond one, she wears it to this very day, along with the wedding ring. Of course, we couldn't get married at first, Linda was still too young. We married shortly before Linda turned 17 at the local church, by that time village gossips had learnt to accept our relationship, our families were happy and I had finally gotten the girl of my dreams. Our friends and family surrounded us on that happy day.  
  
I sometimes look back over the troubles we've had over the years we've been together. My bad boy antics which caused me to be court marshelled at Military School, the way we scrimped and saved when we found out Linda was pregnant with Shane. I worked nearly 90 hours a week so I could provide for my wife and new son. The way we managed to buy the company off my father, the legal battles, the accusations, the lies, the way the company almost went bust. How I almost destroyed Linda when I admitted to numourous affairs. If there was one thing I could take back it would be that, I'd never have slept with those women if I had known how much damage it would do to her, it crushed her and I was the cause of that. When I look back at that time, I ache, I physically ache and hurt when I see the pain I caused her. I wonder how we managed to stay together, would Linda have married me if she had a crystal ball and could see into our future and the pain and suffering we both had to go through?  
  
But through all the pain and suffering we've had our good times too. The wedding day, when we both graduated together, when we both said "lets do this" when we had the chance to buy the wrestling company off my dad, what we've made the WWF - what it's become, an international institution, the way we brought our competion WCW. They tried to kill the WWF but the WWF came back stronger and better and finished all our competition off, ECW, WCW all down the drain, the WWF is the leading brand in sports- entertainment today and that's the way it's gonna stay, as long as Linda and I have a breath in our bodies WWF will always be number one. And of course, the kids, our beautiful children... Shane and Stephanie. They top all our other achievements, Linda and I produced two wonderful children, whom we both love more than life itself and now they've grown up and learnt to have the same passion and devotion to the WWF that Linda and I have.  
  
Through it all, one things always remained constant, Linda. Linda's my life, the centre of my world, if anything were to ever happen to her, I know I wouldn't be able to carry on. Everyone thinks they know me, I'm "evil", I'm a "poison", I'm "inhumane". I'm not really like that though only my family see the real me, the real Vince McMahon. Linda's the only one who really knows me, who knows who I am, what I am. I love my wife more than I love life itself. At the end of the day, if Linda were to ever leave me, or god forbid she died, my whole world, my whole reason for living would go with her....... 


	3. Lindas perspective

"Linda?" My mother called up the stairs to me.  
  
"Coming." I yelled back, I'd just finished fixing my hair ready to go to church.  
  
It started off as any regular Sunday, getting up, having breakfast and getting ready to go to church. It was a normal Sunday for my family, we were regular church goers and had been attending church ever since I could remember.  
  
I was particularly nervous that day as I was singing my first ever solo in the church choir. I had sang with the choir at church every Sunday since I was 8 years old and today I had been asked to sing a solo. I was so nervous, I had been practising for weeks and I had it near perfect. Everyone in the choir had complemented me on how hard I had worked to practise the song.  
  
After the service had finished, Juanita, another regular church goer who I had became friendly with over the past few months came up to me. She complemented me on my solo piece and told me that she had brought someone along that she wanted me to meet.  
  
She took me over to him and introduced us.  
  
"Vince, this is Linda Edwards." She said gesturing towards me. "Linda, this is Vincent McMahon, my son."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," he said politely as he reached out for my hand.  
  
"Likewise." I said as I shook it nervously, looking into his deep brown eyes.  
  
I'd be lying if I said I was'nt intimidated by his presence at first. He was so tall and muscular that he dwarfed me, he certainly stood out from the crowd even if he didn't mean too. We started talking and his mother left us to go and talk to someone else. Eventually I got rid of my nervousness and the talking became so easy. I honestly don't know whether it was love at first sight or not. Vince has always said that it was for him but for me it was different. Maybe it was because I was so young that I just didn't realise that I'd fallen in love. One day it just hit me, I remember that day...  
  
It was three months since we'd first met at church and we had already become extremely close friends. He had told me everything, about the abuse he recieved from his mom, the problems he'd had and we became best friends, we told each other everything. The nosy people in the town I lived in thought it was more, not once did I think they were right, but as I was about to learn, things change, fast.  
  
I had just finished watching him play football and he had scored the winning touchdown. The whistle went and he came over to talk to me. I threw my arms around him to give him a congratulatary hug, he held me close to his big strong chest as he picked me up off the floor and twirled me around. He put me down and kissed me on the cheek, we pulled away from each other and looked at each other for a second, and that's when it hit me.  
  
"I love this man." I thought quietly to myself. It was so out of the blue, I wasn't expecting it at all and it knocked me for six.  
  
"Are you ok?" Vince asked me concerned, he must have seen the look on my face.  
  
"Uhh.... sure. Yeah, I'm fine." I said reassuringly, I can be a good liar when I want to be.  
  
"Ok, if you're sure." He nodded.  
  
"Yep, you go get ready and I'll wait here."  
  
With that he left me to go and shower and change and left me with a feeling that I'd never experienced before....  
  
When Vince told me he loved me, I couldn't believe it, he made me the happiest girl in the world. It was so unexpected, I never knew that he'd been feeling that way for all of this time.  
  
We told our parents and they were so pleased that we had finally gotten it together. By this time Vince rarely talked to his mother and I couldn't blame him, what she had done to him when he was a child was unthinkable. So he sent her a letter telling her, we never heard anything back from her though and we haven't attempted to get in touch with her since then. Even now Vince cries in my arms about what he went through, only I know what he truly went through, he didn't even tell his dad all of it. Its like when we discuss his childhood he becomes like a frightened little boy all over again, but the way he has come through and dealt with the situation is amazing, I'm so proud of him.  
  
A year after we started to date Vince took me out to dinner. The setting was perfect, it was a quiet candlelit restaurant with soft music in the back round and we were sitting in a little corner of the restaurant, we'd just finished dessert.  
  
Vince took my hands and stared deep into my eyes from across the table.  
  
"Linda, I need to tell you something."  
  
I started to worry, at first I thought he was going to dump me. "Yeah?" I asked nervously.  
  
"Since I've known you my life has turned around and all for the better. You're my best friend and the only women who I've ever been in love with. Your my soul mate and you understand me, no one else has ever touched me the way you have. I want this feeling to last forever, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I don't want anyone else."  
  
I was stunned into silence, and nothing could have prepared me for what was to come next.  
  
Vince got up off his seat and came round to my side of the table. He pulled a little box out of his pocket, opened it and got down on one knee.  
  
"Linda Edwards, will you marry me?"  
  
That must have been one of the happiest moments of my life, I couldn't say anything I was so happy.  
  
"Linda? Baby, I really wish you'd give me an answer." Vince said looking at me. I think he thought I was going to say no by the look on his face.  
  
"Yes." I said excitedly.  
  
"What did you say?" Vince asked, his eyes bulging.  
  
"I said yes, I'll marry you."  
  
Vince pulled the ring out of the box and placed it on my finger. It was so beautiful, I couldn't believe it, it was the perfect ring. Vince kissed me full on the lips.  
  
"You just made me the happiest man in the world." He said as he hugged me. "I know you're only 14 and we can't get married straight away but when you turn 16 and finished high school, then we can."  
  
I nodded my head in agreement as I looked into Vince's eyes, the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with.  
  
After we'd finished the meal Vince took me back to his place, his father was out of town on a business trip, so Vince had the place to himself. Vince made love to me for the first time that night, I knew he had been with a few other girls before me and I hadn't been with anyone so I was nervous. Vince was great about it though, he was really gentle and patient with me. Afterwards he held me in his arms all night while we slept. I got in so much trouble with my parents for staying out all night, but I didn't care, it was worth it.  
  
Everything we've been through, the struggle to buy the WWF of Vince's father, my god, the pressure was enormous, we didn't know where the hell the next payment was coming from, somehow we managed it though. We made it, the WWF has become one of the most successful company's in the world and all of the blood, sweat and tears, they've all been worth it, I wouldn't give them back to you for a second. We've paid the price, yes, both personally and professionally but not one moment of the pain and suffering we've had to go through would I ever give back.  
  
Perhaps the ultimate sacrifice was when I realised Vince had been unfaithful....  
  
"How? How could you do this to me?" I screamed at him, I was hysterical.  
  
"I'm so so sorry Linda." Vince said, his eyes full of tears.  
  
"I don't want your apologies!" I screamed as I threw a plate at him.  
  
He ducked and the plate shattered against the wall.  
  
"I didn't realise....." He began and then stopped.  
  
"You didn't realise what?" I sobbed.  
  
"How much it would hurt you, I didn't think you'd ever find out."  
  
"You didn't realise how much it would hurt me?" I screamed. "How'd you think I'd react, I'd just let you carry on and say 'go screw anyone you want to!'"  
  
Vince shook his head, by this time he was also crying.  
  
"You didn't think I'd ever find out? So you mean if I hadn't you'd still be fucking every bit of skirt you could get your hands on?"  
  
Vince remained silent and we stood there in the kitchen opposite each other for a few seconds. I went over to him and started punching him, Vince didn't even try and defend himself from my attack.  
  
"Why?" I screamed, while continuing to hit him. "Why did you do this to me? You know how much I love you. Why am I not enough for you?" I said as I stumbled backwards and collapsed into a chair.  
  
"You are Linda, you are." He tried to reassure me, coming over to me and kneeling by my chair. "Its not you, I can be on the road for as much as six days at a time without seeing you, I need someone there. Their just someone to fill the space when your not there. They don't mean anything. If you don't believe anything else you have to believe that and that you are the only woman I've ever loved, the only women I ever will love. Please forgive me?"  
  
Vince tilted my chin with his finger and looked got me to look at him. Tears were streaming down his face and his nose was bleeding from where I'd punched him.  
  
"Promise me." I whispered. "Promise me you won't ever do this again."  
  
Vince nodded. "I promise you I won't ever go with another woman again."  
  
I looked into Vince's eyes and KNEW he was telling the truth. Whatever else he's done, he's never broken a promise to me.  
  
I took a deep breath. "I forgive you." I nodded. "But it will be a long time before I trust you again."  
  
"I know." Vince put his arms around me and held me close. "I love you baby, I love you so much."  
  
"I believe you." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek.  
  
To this day, Vince has remained faithful to me and for that I'm grateful, when I realised he's been cheating on me I just wanted to die, I didn't know what to do. I went through so much hurt, we both did but we came through and we're stronger than ever.  
  
People have tried to bring us down, they've tried to bring the WWF down but they're the ones who ended up on their knees. We've come out fighting in every battle we've had to face, not to say we've won every one but we have our heads held high. And the kids have thankfully learnt that resolve off us too, which will keep the WWF alive well in to the next generation of McMahon's. I look around me now and see all we've achieved, a successful billion dollar business, a comfy mansion, just the right size, two amazing kids who've learnt that the world isn't always such a nice place to be in.  
  
And each other, Vince and I have always had each other. During it all Vince has always been there for me and I've been there for him. Everyone thinks they know Vince, no-one except me and the rest of the family see the true Vince McMahon though. They don't see the family man, the man who cried on our wedding day, the man who cried when he held his new-born children in his arms for the first time. Together we're a winning team and no-one, I repeat no-one will ever take that away from us, no matter what they say. We're strong and as long as we've got each other we'll remain strong, the WWF will remain the number one sports entertainment brand in the world, we'll remain strong as a family and we'll remain strong until the day one of us dies. If Vince dies before me, don't ever ask me what I'll do because I just don't know.... 


End file.
